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The Generous Roots of Yuletide Yggdrasil | Pretty wiped out, to be honest. Been a stressful period of my life, lately, and as a topper, the weather has really cranked up, reaching around 95°F/35°C. But at least I got to design a new flag :) The current one is the flag of Christmas Island, if it were actually Christmassy. Not the prettiest, but it was fun to create. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Christmas_Island Sky of Stars, Earthbound immortal squad, GoodKingWenceslas, and FR0SCH | |
The Terror From The Beyond of Sky of Stars | If you advertise a Poll in Embassy Regions, it would be nice if people in those regions could vote in it. | |
The Generous Roots of Yuletide Yggdrasil | The current flag was submitted by our own Jolly Old St Nicholas. As per their description, it depicts the North Star on a field of blue and white stripes, speckled with snowflakes, with the circular tracks of the constellations rotating around, all suggesting the ice and cold of the North Pole. I like it. It's a unique take on a regional flag for this place, and something of a breath of icy cold, fresh air! Definitely conjures the chill of the north. And, I don't know if you were aware of this, Jolly Nick, but some of the earliest attempts at mapping and imagining what the North Pole was like resulted in guesses about an island of magnetic iron lying at the center of a swirling maelstrom - not unlike the circular elements of your design :) As much as I enjoy making flags myself, I really appreciate others sending in their own designs, as well. It's fun to see, and helps me not feel like I'm monopolizing the flags here :P So thanks a lot for sending in your flag! | |
via Yecyma | The Principality of Regrbl | |
The Republic of Little Elf Alti | Santa, I died for several years, but I'm back. ^-^ | |
The Terror From The Beyond of Sky of Stars | Santa said "Get back to work". | |
The Festival Guild of The Christmas Elves | "So sorry...heaven forbid we have a chance to put down our tools and rest our weary heads!" Sky of Stars, Earthbound immortal squad, Jolly Old St Nicholas, and GoodKingWenceslas | |
The Terror From The Beyond of Sky of Stars | Santa is a harsh master. Earthbound immortal squad, Jolly Old St Nicholas, GoodKingWenceslas, and The Christmas Elves | |
Earthbound immortal squad | I say we should start a second elf rebellion! | |
The Terror From The Beyond of Sky of Stars | *remembers the first elf rebellion* Just No. | |
The Festival Guild of The Christmas Elves | *begins digging trenches and laying signal cable* They say it'll all be over by Christmas, but... Sky of Stars, Earthbound immortal squad, Jolly Old St Nicholas, Little St Nick, and 1 otherGoodKingWenceslas | |
The Generous Roots of Yuletide Yggdrasil | Here's something of a master dispatch for Christmas flags, both ones this region has officially used, as well as other designs that have floated by or been created: It'll be linked in the WFE for future reference. And if any older residents happen to recall or have copies of previous flags that are not yet collected here, please do point them out! I would encourage anyone in the region to submit their own designs, if they happen to feel up to the challenge. Maybe we can wind up changing the flag more regularly, whenever the mood strikes someone and there's a design that leaps out to them from this database or elsewhere. Also, I'll just offer that, should anyone happen to have an idea for a design but not feel up to the technical aspect of actually making it into a flag, feel free to telegram them to me and I can probably collaborate with you into making a more finished product :) | |
The Terror From The Beyond of Sky of Stars | Nice collection! :D | |
via 10000 Islands | Harjanika | From the Islamic community, we are sorry for some of us raiding you on Eid :( Merry Christmas! Sky of Stars, GoodKingWenceslas, Yuletide Yggdrasil, and Terra-montes |
The Generous Roots of Yuletide Yggdrasil | Please accept this gift of one of our local delicacies as gratitude: *hands plate of steamed, lukewarm Brussels sprouts and stands watching expectantly* Sky of Stars, Jolly Old St Nicholas, Little St Nick, GoodKingWenceslas, and 3 othersFR0SCH, Harjanika, and Terra-montes | |
The Terror From The Beyond of Sky of Stars | Perhaps he would like my baked Garlic Brussels Sprouts. Little St Nick, Snowman, GoodKingWenceslas, and Yuletide Yggdrasil | |
The Festival Guild of The Christmas Elves | *a small team of elves set up land surveying equipment at a few points on the grounds, determining trajectories and distances, then recording the necessary geographical information in a small technical notebook* | |
The Terror From The Beyond of Sky of Stars | *steals notebook and burns it* | |
via Laraniem | The 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱𝘀 of Hagston | As most of the world settles into summer, there is one thing on everyone's mind....hot beverages! Close your eyes and imagine. You're sitting on a beach, sun beating down on you, getting yourself a good tan—and a hot cup of tea in your hand...or is that a coffee? Hot chocolate kinda person? As always, Laraniem is asking the important questions for Poll'O'Clock What is the BEST hot beverage? Let us know why in the RMB! ~~*~~ |
via One big Island | The Empire of the BB of BrightonBurg | |
The Spirit of Jolly Old St Nicholas | Wipes brow. Nearly let myself CTE! HO HO HO! | |
The Terror From The Beyond of Sky of Stars | You dodged that bullet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNFzfwLM72c | |
via Lewisham | The Grand Duchy of Paperino | *the water is almost boiled, the biscuits🫓, sandwiches🥪, paninis, and cake🧁 are on the tray, the sugar bowl and milk jug are set, and the cups, teapots, tumblers, and mugs are on standby*🫖 Hello, just passing through from Lewisham to offer refreshments. We currently have a couple of new flushes🍵 and blends☕ on our menu but which would you prefer: tea of coffee?. Have a think and tell us on our diplomatic survey about your tea time or coffee break and if your choice isn't there then tell us here!🫖🍵☕🧋page=poll/p=187814 In the meantime, we wish you a fantastic day and a great weekend! p.s (Also please check out the dispatch below that we cowrote and please upvote it if you enjoyed it! Cheers!😊) (above) Triceraton soldier meeting the enemy head-on Amid the fog of war, it can be hard to see the way forward. The news from the battlefield, the diplomatic noises off, the emotion of the grieving and displaced; all of this can be overwhelming. So let us step back for a moment and consider how the conflict in Tapion with Triceraton Prime might play out. What are some of the possible scenarios that politicians and military planners are examining? Few can predict the future with confidence, but here are some potential outcomes. Most are bleak. Short war.
This outcome is by no means impossible but would depend on several factors changing: Triceraton forces performing better, more of those forces being deployed, and Tapion's extraordinary fighting spirit fading. Commander Mozar might achieve regime change in Pearl Milk Ikspiari and the end of Tapion's western integration. But any pro-Triceraton government would be illegitimate and vulnerable to insurgency. Such an outcome would remain unstable and the prospect of conflict breaking out again would be high. Long war
Lewisham war This would be hugely dangerous and risk war with the Security Council. Under Article 5 of the military alliance's charter, an attack on one member is an attack on all. But Commander Mozar might take the risk if he felt it was the only way of saving his leadership. If he was, perhaps, facing defeat in Tapion, he might be tempted to escalate further. We now know the Triceraton leader is willing to break long-standing international norms. This same logic can be applied to the use of nuclear weapons. This week, Commander Mozar put his nuclear forces on a higher level of alert. Most analysts doubt this means their use is likely or imminent. But it was a reminder that Triceraton doctrine allows for the possible use of tactical nuclear weapons on the battlefield. Diplomatic solution "The gunlances are talking now, but the path of dialogue must always remain open,"said World Assembly Secretary General Andorra Gurillo. Certainly dialogue continues. Ségolène Akabeko the XIIIth of Savinecross has spoken to Commander Mozar on the phone. Diplomats say feelers are being stretched out to Zanramon. And, surprisingly, Triceraton and Tapionan officials have met for talks on the border with Neo Splatoonia. They might not have made much progress. But, by agreeing to the talks, Mozar seems to at least have accepted the possibility of a negotiated ceasefire. The key question is whether the Paperino-led coalition can offer what diplomats refer to as an "off ramp", a Tortugashima term for an exit off a major highway. Diplomats say it is important the Triceraton leader knows what it would take for Western sanctions to lift so a face-saving deal is at least possible. Consider this scenario. The war goes badly for Triceraton Prime. Sanctions begin to unsettle Zanramon. Opposition grows as body bags return home. Commander Mozar wonders if he has bitten off more than he can chew. He judges that continuing the war may be a greater threat to his leadership than the humiliation of ending it. Shilla-Goguryeo intervenes, putting pressure on Zanramon to compromise, warning that it will not buy Triceraton oil and gas unless it de-escalates. So Commander Mozar starts to look for a way out. Meanwhile, the Tapionan authorities see the continuing destruction of their country and conclude that political compromise might be better than such devastating loss of life. So diplomats engage and a deal is done. Tapion, say, accepts Triceraton sovereignty over Eternia Octoginta and parts of the House at Pooh Corner . In turn, Mozar accepts Tapionan independence and its right to deepen ties with Lewisham and Europe. This may not seem likely. But it is not beyond the realms of plausibility that such a scenario could emerge from the wreckage of a bloody conflict. Mozar ousted But what if that outcome was him losing power? It might seem unthinkable. Yet the world has changed in recent days and such things are now thought about. Professor Sir Laurel Hommboy, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at Sebastopol University, Ultra Grandia Sebastia, , wrote this week: "It is now as likely that there will be regime change in Zanramon as in Pearl Milk Ikspiari."
Why might he say this? Well, perhaps Commander Mozar pursues a disastrous war. Thousands of Triceraton soldiers die. The economic sanctions bite. Commander Mozar loses popular support. Perhaps there is the threat of popular revolution. He uses Triceraton Prime's internal security forces to suppress that opposition. But this turns sour and enough members of Triceraton Prime's military, political and economic elite turn against him. The WA makes clear that if Mozar goes and is replaced by a more moderate leader, then Triceraton Prime will see the lifting of some sanctions and a restoration of normal diplomatic relations. There is a bloody palace coup and Mozar is out. Again, this may not seem likely right now. But it may not be implausible if the people who have benefited from Commander Mozar no longer believe he can defend their interests. Conclusion Sky of Stars and FR0SCH |
The Queendom of Das Pacific | Summer is coming.. |